Thursday, August 15, 2013

Not unexpected, as reports of Mr. Lanier's illness had been circulating for several years now, but still an utter bummer just the same. Allen Lanier was easily one of my favorite rock keyboardists, a musician with a perfect ear for what to - and, just as importantly, what not to - play. You can read BÖC vocalist Eric Bloom's thoughts here; his brief, touching piece is well worth your time.

As if Lanier's distinguished BÖC catalog somehow weren't enough on its own, his playing (as Bloom alludes to) is also all over Jim Carroll's Catholic Boyand Dry DreamsLPs. I mean, really - what more could you want? Well, you could play on a Clash LP, too: that's his piano on "Julie's Been Working for the Drug Squad" off Give 'em Enough Rope.

A fond farewell to a great talent. I can hardly imagine a shittier reason to blow the dust off the ol' blog.